Alya's Room

Alya woke up, eyes still red from crying. Ladybug, her idol, the hero of Paris, her friend, told her she couldn't be trusted. It hurt a lot. She lost two friends in the same week, one she ditched, one that ditched her. She wondered if this is how Marinette felt. She lost a miraculous, wait, no she didn't. Alya ran over to her desk, the fake copy of the fox necklace sitting in a safe place. Someone took her miraculous, replaced it with a fake so they could make a quick getaway. She looked at her phone, noting a frustrated message from Nino about how they said he wasn't fit to be a hero anymore. Making a note to text her boyfriend back later, she called Max.

"Hello?"

"Max, it's me Alya."

"Hey Alya, what's up? Besides us not being superheroes anymore?"

"I need your help, can I come over?"

"Sure, after ten? Family breakfast this morning, we don't get much time together here."

"That's ok, see you at ten. Bye."

"Cya." With Max's help she might be able to find the necklace back.

Marinette's Room

Marinette woke up, unwillingly at Tikki's prodding, "Marinette we need to look for around for the fox miraculous."

"How are we supposed to find it in all of Paris?" She groaned, not excited about the prospect.

"We can only patrol around the city, if someone has it, we might be able to find it. Otherwise we have to wait."

Marinette's phone buzzed, it was Adrien, "Ready for patrol?" She replied "Almost, Eiffel Tower in fifthteen?" He replied quickly, "Sounds good, it's a date." Marinette smiled. It's a date. Their first.

They spent the whole night texting back and forth, talking about the change of schools, all the times when they almost let their identities slip and the crazy excuses they have made to explain absences. She was excited to hang out with her boyfriend. She sighed, dreamy about them.

"Marinette!"

"I'm going, I'm going!"

Couffaine Boat

While Luka played a sad tune with Sass watching in concern, Juleka was thinking about what to say to Marinette. She texted Rose, telling her see was going to Tom & Sabine Boulangerie Patisserie at ten and that Rose was welcome to join her. She then set about the process of getting ready, the question of what to say on her mind.

Lila's Room

Lila watched the news feeds and Ladyblog for a sign of an akuma. Trixx was playing with a ball across the room, eager to have been given a full time holder. The kwami didn't know that Lila had no intention of helping Ladybug. In any other scenario, Lila would pretend that she unlocked a family secret and now has powers, increasing her popularity. But Alya would realize she stole the necklace and Alya was her strongest supporter. If she turned against Lila, she would lose a lot of followers. Besides Ladybug made it personal when they first met, exposing her lies to Adrien. She intended to make Ladybug pay for what she did.

Eiffel Tower

"Greetings M'Lady."

"Good morning Kitty. Ready to search around?" He smiled, "Yes, in fact, I have a place for lunch planned out for us in a nice location where you are the only rabid fangirl recognizing me."

He grinned, at least till a yoyo smacked him on the head. "Ow, sorry I couldn't resist."

"I am sure you couldn't alley cat. So where should we look first?"

"Local area first? You go east, I go west?" She nodded, blowing him a kiss before swinging off, leaving him with his jaw dropped. Chat collected himself, vaulting to start his patrol.

Max's house

Max was the only one home, so they didn't have to worry about anyone interrupting them to question their activity. "You really think it might end up on the black market," Max was unable to contain the shock in his voice as he booted up his heavily modified laptop.

Alya nodded, "Who ever took it from me knew what it was, having replaced it with a fake. They also may know that Hawkmoth would want it, but don't want the law getting in the way."

"Leaving the dark web." Max did a number of things Alya couldn't understand. "I modified this laptop so that it has countermeasures against hacks and location traces, no one can identify us." He continue typing commands for another five minutes before looking at her again. "We're in, I put in a search for Fox, miraculous and Hawkmoth. Whoa." A long list of results showed up. He opened one, only to find it was a request that Hawkmoth would give them powers.

"This looks like it's gonna take a while," she noted as Max opened the next, an offer to buy the miraculous Hawkmoth has, from a crime lord in Berlin.

Tom & Sabine Boulangerie Patisserie

Juleka arrived outside the bakery, meeting Rose. She smiled, "I'm glad you came."

Rose gave a sad smile, "I figured I give Marinette a chance to explain herself. And you asked." The pair walked into the bakery, greeted by Sabine at the counter. "Hello Mrs Cheng, is Marinette home?"

"Sorry, she left an hour ago," Sabine narrowed her eyes, wary of her daughters classmates, "Why?"

"We were hoping to check on her," Juleka stated plainly.

"And ask a few questions if it's ok," Rose added.

Sabine nodded, "She didn't say where she was going, but she is with Adrien. Maybe you can talk to her later tonight."

Juleka thanked her, leading Rose out of the bakery. That's when she noticed Rose was bristling with anger. "What is with you all the sudden?"

"Lila told me that Marinette only wants to use Adrien for his connections, he should be with Lila, not Marinette."

Juleka was shocked at her. "Don't you think it's a bit weird that Lila shows up, then Marinette is all the sudden horrible, but the only target and witness is Lila?"

"Are you crazy? Lila says my perfume is amazing, she is so nice, like the time she caught that paper Marinette threw even though her wrist was hurt, so Max's eyes wouldn't get hurt."

"Max wears glasses."

"So?!"

The argument only got worse.

"Why are you even here then?"

"Because I want answers!"

"So do I, but not with your attitude!"

Hawkmoth's Lair

An emotion flared up above all the others: Anger. He summoned a butterfly, silently enfusing it and sending it away. He wasn't planning to akumatize anyone until he figured what went wrong, but two people ready to be turned was not to be turned down.

Hitting the phone Rose was trying to pull from Juleka, both girls stopped, under Hawkmoth's control. "Questionnaire, you have questions that no one is answering. I give you the power to make everyone answerless, in return bring me Ladybug and Chat Noir's miraculous."

"Yes Hawkmoth. The pair turned into a thin black figure, a purple question mark on its chest, a cannon on its right hand, the phone was installed on it.

Across Paris Somewhere

The word that an akuma was loose made the news quick. Or rather people asking "What is an akuma?" This strange occurrence lead the heroic duo to a street not far from the bakery. "We are Questionnaire! If no one will tell us the answers, then no one else deserves answers, only questions!"

"Look her arm is just like Oblivio's, maybe we can use the same strategy?"

"Nice catch Kitty, let's do this."

The duo tried to get close to Questionnaire, but the villain's energy beam kept pushing them back.

Lila's Room

"Do be amused, it's just the news. Ladybug and Chat Noir are fighting a akuma calling themselves Questionnaire. The akuma is getting closer to the Paris Hotel. Please keep a safe distance."

Lila smiled, her chance had arrived. "Come on Trixx, let's get out there and help Ladybug."

"OK!" The kwami flew into her jacket, making her smirk at how easy it was to trick the floating fox.

Paris Hotel

Ladybug and Chat Noir took cover to strategize, not able to get close to the akuma. "What if I distract it? I could drop something on them?"

"No, we need your cataclysm for the arm cannon. I'll distract it while you sneak up." Chat nodded and the duo moved to positions to execute their plan.

Meanwhile in a nearby alley, "Trixx, lets pounce!" Once again she was Volpina, not as powerful, but still strong. She looked around the corner, Ladybug was jumping and swinging around. While she dodged the beams, Chat Noir made his way around until he was at a car behind the villain. "Mirage!" She launched the illusion just as Chat Noir destroyed the possessed object. An illusion of every akuma ever appeared, Stormy Weather darkening the sky for effect.

Ladybug was shocked, swinging her yoyo around as Chat Noir moved to back her up. The villains moved around, everytime one was struck, it disappeared like a ghost, another akuma taking its place. "What is going on?" she cried. Chat was unable to reply.

The dark butterfly flew not too far away, before a flute hit it.

"Hawkmoth."

"Volpina, or should I call you Lila Rossi?"

"I'd prefer Volpina, I have the fox miraculous now. I don't think Ladybug or Chat Noir knows. We have four minutes before they do."

"What are you suggesting?"

"An alliance, let me help you fight Ladybug and I'll help you get the miraculous. You have Mayura, what's another miraculous holder joining? We are stronger together, since Ladybug had multiple allies it will be wise to join forces."

"Industrial district, an abandoned warehouse with the name Seaway Fashions. Midnight. Be there."

"Ok, wait, my kwami thinks I'm being a hero. How do I convince her to keep transforming me when she learns the truth."

His voice laughed in her head. "She won't have a choice, if you know the transformation phrases. You won't have any trouble. Our time is up. Be there and I'll teach you." With that he released the akuma from her. Volipina ran into an alley out of sight. "Trixx, let's rest." The kwami landed in her hands, hungry. She gave Trixx a mini KitKat, then hid the kwami in her jacket. She headed back home, staying out of sight. Soon Ladybug soon.

One second they were in a nightmare, the next a sunny day with an infected akuma floating in front of them. Ladybug quickly caught and purified the akuma, Chat ducking into an alley as his timer ran out. She called the miraculous cure, setting everything straight, before following him. While Plagg and Tikki went into her purse to eat, the couple walked out. "It was an illusion, like Rene's or Volipina's," she still was shaken by the intensity of it, "Someone must have taken the fox miraculous from Alya."

"And they know how to use it, or at least is learning to use it." Adrien looked at her with concern. "But what do they want? To be a hero or steal our miraculous?"

"I hope hero," she looked at him, "So now what?"

"Go to lunch."

"No I meant about who our fox is."

"Well they are no doubt long gone, so we have to wait. So why not go for lunch?"

"OK, what do you have in mind?" The duo started to walk down the street, bumping into Juleka and Rose. She hesitated as Adrien put his arm around her, pulling her close. "Hey."

"Hey." An awkward silence took place. "I'm sorry, destroying your sketchbook was too far." Juleka clearly felt guilty about it. Adrien opened his mouth to correct her, but Marinette nudged him. Rose averted her eyes, also feeling guilty. "Are you ok?"

"Not really, it was something I have been working on for years," she said bitterly. Adrien caught on in that moment, Marinette didn't trust them, worried someone might go after her sketchbook again.

"Then why are you so mean to Lila? You never give her a chance, and Adrien she asked fr help but you ignored her and left her alone in the front."

Adrien stared Rose down, "The first time we met Lila claimed to know Ladybug and that she was a superhero too. But then Ladybug showed up, made it clear that they were not friends and Lila was not a superhero. It turns out Ladybug never handed out the Fox necklace at the time yet."

"Then there is the time she threatened me in the bathroom that she would take away my friends, framed me and lied about how she designed Jagged Stone's glasses and album cover, which is my work by the way." Juleka and Rose looked at each other. "Oh and she claimed to save Jagged Stones cat, the guy has an alligator, it is seen everywhere with him."

"Speaking of false claims, she claimed that the scarf my father gave me was designed and made by her, but that was too obvious of a lie and I just found Marinette's signature on it. Seriously what's with people trying to steal your work all the time." She shrugged, while Juleka and Rose's jaws dropped. This was new.

"We need a moment to process this," Juleka mumbled.

"Wait, Alya posted a video of Lila talking about how she and Ladybug are best friends, telling Alya a bunch of private facts about Ladybug. Does this mean all the things she said was a lie in that interview?" Marinette and Adrien nodded in sync. "Oh no, we have to warn her! Her blog's reputation could be ruined!"

"You have to warn her." Marinette's plain, uncaring tone startled the girls. "I don't care anymore, she destroyed my life's work, this is karma."

"How can you sit in the same room as her and not warn her?"

"Because we won't be there, we are transferring to a different school," Adrien inputted.

"Why?"

Marinette felt rage inside come staring at Rose as she felt Adrien growl. "WHY? WHY? Because you turned your backs on me, left me at the mercy of an akuma, watched and laughed when my sketchbook was destroyed, not lifting a finger to help. I'm done with this class, who clearly can't think for themselves. They want to see me again, they will have to beg." With that she turned her back on the two girls, both ashamed of their actions to the one girl who tried to make everyone happy.

Once they were around the corner, Adrien looked at his girlfriend, "You are scary when you are really mad."

She gave him a smile, "A reason while you should keep me happy." Then noticing the restaurant they stopped in front, she frowned, "You can't be serious."

"Serious as a heart attack."

"You are not spending money on me."

"You agreed to that when you said yes to being my girlfriend." She glared at him as he gave her his cheshire grin.

She sighed, "Fine, but you make a single cat pun and I am leaving." She smirked as he pouted, clearly disappointed, "You are cute but the pout isn't going to change my mind."

He sighed, then bowed dramatically, "then I guess I'm just gonna be the shining knight a princess deserves." Marinette giggled as he locked arms with her, leading her inside to their table. "So how come you didn't want them to know the truth?"

"Because I'm afraid they would try to steal it again, this way it is safe from them. I can't rely on you being romantic to keep saving it."

"But I like being hugged, even though your parents tend to be a peanut gallery." He laughed as her face turned red. "I actually like being at your house, your parents are really nice."

"Besides their lack of boundaries you mean. Honestly, if we want to be alone, we need to go somewhere else."

"Alone for what?" Adrien wiggled his eyebrows at her, making her choke on her water.

"I didn't mean it like that!" her face turning a dark crimson.

Adrien smirked, leaning across the table, "Your face is telling me otherwise."

Marinette was frustrated that was so easy for him to tease her. 'Just picture him with cat ears.' That worked as she leaned forward, her face right in front of his, barely anything between them but a mere inch.

"You would like that wouldn't you?" His face lit up as he sputtered his words, unable to reply, while Marinette giggled, snapping a quick picture of his flustered appearance. This was gonna be fun.

Outside said Restaurant

Nino glared at the couple, unnoticed by them. Marinette was why he wasn't a hero, as well as Alya, who was absolutely devastated. He intended to make school hell for her on Monday. He walked away, thinking of ways to ruin her day.

Max's House

Max finally finished the list as Alya watched the news, not worrying about the missed chance at a scoop. "There is nothing here related to the Fox necklace."

"How?" Just as she said that, the reporter live on seen started to freak out, the sky dark, akumas everywhere attacking the heroic duo, until a few minutes later it all exploded in an orange cloud.

Max pushed up his glasses, I guess we know where it is now."

Alya put her head in her hands, someone had the Fox necklace and it was her fault.

Seaway Fashions: Midnight

Volpina arrived, excepting a trap. But then Hawkmoth welcomed her inside. "Welcome," he stated simply.

"Is this the famous Hawkcave?" she asked sarcastically.

He laughed, "No, I don't trust you with my identity, if Ladybug captures you, then you can't tell her." Volipina nodded understanding the reasoning. "Now here is a burner phone, an easier way for us to communicate. Now you don't have to worry about your kwami, it can't tell others who you are, it is forbidden by magic. When you put the necklace in a case, the kwami hibernates until you put it on again, ensuring she won't run off somehow. Kwami's can't be photographed or caught on tape either. You are limited as the pathetic heroes, but I can offer training that lets you stay transformed despite using your power. Wemay get to the point where you can cast another illusion after the first is canceled out or destroyed."

She nodded, eager to begin. "I am ready to learn."

Hawkmoth grinned, a new permanent ally on his side.

Fu's Ice Cream Shop

Wayzz flew around as his master slept, something important on the edge of his memory, but he couldn't remember it. What was it?